Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Potchefstroom Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Potchefstroom

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $906 in Potchefstroom.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,323 in Potchefstroom.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,740 in Potchefstroom.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 150% more expensive than Potchefstroom, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Potchefstroom is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$6.08 R 98.3

162.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$27.65 R 447

129.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$4.53 R 73.2

129.14%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$1.62 R 26.17

72.22%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.02 R 16.49

129.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.68 R 11.05

130.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$2.20 R 35.49

55.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$1.10 R 17.80

255.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.07 R 17.23

0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.02 R 16.48

73.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.58 R 25.57

8.23%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.17 R 35.15

45.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$7.03 R 114

94.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$4.19 R 67.7

91.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$6.26 R 101

147.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.38 R 22.23

65.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.38 R 22.36

18.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.62 R 26.17

19.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.15 R 18.52

118.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.32 R 21.38

35.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.03 R 16.62

95.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.13 R 18.20

74.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.04 R 16.80

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$2.85 R 46.03

138.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$4.35 R 70.3

30.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$0.98 R 15.88

41.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.77 R 28.61

70.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.07 R 17.34

112.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.04 R 16.74

312.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.95 R 15.34

-10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$3.12 R 50.5

485.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.20 R 19.44

65.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K €30.2K

$19.6K R 317.3K

78.48%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.5K €34.1K

$25.8K R 416.5K

53.49%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$146 €126

$126 R 2,039

15.91%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.45 €17.62

$27.49 R 444

-25.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$38.29 R 619

1.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$28.58 R 462

71.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$2.75 R 44.39

584.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$5.59 R 90.3

70.30%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$608 €524

$117 R 1,884

421.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$4,218 R 68.2K

291.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$24.87 R 402

317.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$19.22 R 311

119.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$79.0 R 1,277

16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$63.7 R 1,030

88.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$259 R 4,194

525.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$300 R 4,847

322.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$413 R 6,678

637.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$496 R 8,018

305.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$750 R 12.1K

921.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$709 R 11.5K

510.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$899 R 14.5K

76.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

11.69

-67.41%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Potchefstroom: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $259 in Potchefstroom. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 76% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $28.00 in Potchefstroom for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $164 per month, with Potchefstroom cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Potchefstroom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Potchefstroom differ by about 150% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $906 including rent). Potchefstroom is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 76% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $259 in Potchefstroom. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $906 in Potchefstroom – a 150% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $906 in Potchefstroom versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Potchefstroom but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Potchefstroom the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Potchefstroom are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Potchefstroom gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.